Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample
Somatoform disorders (SD), commencing during adolescence, represent a major problem in health care systems. While literature underlines the high presence of mental health problems among children and adolescents afflicted by somatic symptoms in the general population, limited evidence is available on...
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/3/280 |
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| author | Adam Geremek Clemens Lindner Martin Jung Claudia Calvano Manuel Munz |
| author_facet | Adam Geremek Clemens Lindner Martin Jung Claudia Calvano Manuel Munz |
| author_sort | Adam Geremek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Somatoform disorders (SD), commencing during adolescence, represent a major problem in health care systems. While literature underlines the high presence of mental health problems among children and adolescents afflicted by somatic symptoms in the general population, limited evidence is available on the prevalence of comorbid somatic symptoms in child and adolescent psychiatric populations. We assessed the prevalence of somatic symptoms, depression, and anxiety by validated questionnaires in an inpatient cohort. We further screened for the presence of SD. Out of 434 inpatients aged 11–17 years, 371 were included and a total of n = 288 (77.6%) children and adolescents participated in the study. A total of 93.8% of the inpatients reported somatic symptoms within the past six months and still almost half (45.7%) of the sample reported at least one somatic symptom within the last seven days prior to inquiry. Relating to the past six months, 59.5% were positively screened for SD, and 44.6% reported symptoms eligible for positive screening within the past seven days prior to the survey. Somatoform symptomatology was highly associated with anxiety and depression scores, but functional decline was amenable to the number of somatic symptoms only. We provide evidence that somatic symptoms are frequent in children and adolescents being treated in child and adolescent psychiatry and are relevant to everyday functioning. Screening for somatic symptoms should be introduced in the routine diagnostic procedures for early detection of SD in the commencing stages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:26:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2dc1d3defa7a4058aac3abaf71dab77a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:26:34Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-2dc1d3defa7a4058aac3abaf71dab77a2024-03-27T13:31:00ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672024-02-0111328010.3390/children11030280Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient SampleAdam Geremek0Clemens Lindner1Martin Jung2Claudia Calvano3Manuel Munz4Psychosomatikum Kiel, 24103 Kiel, GermanyVamed Rehaklinik Damp, Ostseebad Damp, 24351 Damp, GermanyHelios Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 24837 Schleswig, GermanyDepartment of Education and Psychology, Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, GermanyClinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Center for Integrative Psychiatry, School of Medicine, 24105 Kiel, GermanySomatoform disorders (SD), commencing during adolescence, represent a major problem in health care systems. While literature underlines the high presence of mental health problems among children and adolescents afflicted by somatic symptoms in the general population, limited evidence is available on the prevalence of comorbid somatic symptoms in child and adolescent psychiatric populations. We assessed the prevalence of somatic symptoms, depression, and anxiety by validated questionnaires in an inpatient cohort. We further screened for the presence of SD. Out of 434 inpatients aged 11–17 years, 371 were included and a total of n = 288 (77.6%) children and adolescents participated in the study. A total of 93.8% of the inpatients reported somatic symptoms within the past six months and still almost half (45.7%) of the sample reported at least one somatic symptom within the last seven days prior to inquiry. Relating to the past six months, 59.5% were positively screened for SD, and 44.6% reported symptoms eligible for positive screening within the past seven days prior to the survey. Somatoform symptomatology was highly associated with anxiety and depression scores, but functional decline was amenable to the number of somatic symptoms only. We provide evidence that somatic symptoms are frequent in children and adolescents being treated in child and adolescent psychiatry and are relevant to everyday functioning. Screening for somatic symptoms should be introduced in the routine diagnostic procedures for early detection of SD in the commencing stages.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/3/280somatoform disorderchild and adolescent psychiatryscreeningearly detectionearly intervention |
| spellingShingle | Adam Geremek Clemens Lindner Martin Jung Claudia Calvano Manuel Munz Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample Children somatoform disorder child and adolescent psychiatry screening early detection early intervention |
| title | Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample |
| title_full | Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample |
| title_short | Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders among a German Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Sample |
| title_sort | prevalence of somatic symptoms and somatoform disorders among a german adolescent psychiatric inpatient sample |
| topic | somatoform disorder child and adolescent psychiatry screening early detection early intervention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/3/280 |
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